Electric riveting-machine.



C. KNOTH.

ELECTRIC RIVBTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1914. 1,128,690. Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

4 SHEBTSASHEET 1.

C. KNOTH.

ELECTRIC RIVETINC MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1914,

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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milk/cfa@ un 0%' f' G. KNOTH.

ELECTRIC RIVETING MACHINE.

Arrmoulon FILED SEPT. 26. 1914.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l'INI Imi C. KNOTH.

ELECTRIC RIVETING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED sBPT.26,1914.

1,128,690. Patented Feb.16,1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONRAD KNOTH, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOIB. T0 HYATT ROLLER BEARING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC RIVETING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

.Application tiled September 26, 1914. Serial No. 863,710.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CONRAD KNo'rH, a citizen of the United States, residin at 173 Jelliil" avenue, Newark, county o Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Riveting-Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to an improved means for electrically heating the heads of rivets while pressing the heads upon the parts which they connect.

The improvements relate to a flat table upon which the work-piece may be moved without loosening its electrical connection, means for adjusting the ram-.moving lever into a convenient position for the operator, whatever the hei ht of the work-piece upon the table, means or movably connecting the electric conductor with the movable electrode, special means for cooling the bed and the movable electrode, and other details of construction which will be understood by the following description.

The circuit wires are connected to the movable die-holder by movable conical joints which maintain a perfect connection for the current, while permitting the movement of the joint as the die-holder moves the set vertically when riveting. The die or set upon the die-holder forms an upper electrode, and the work-table forms a lower electrode by which the current is conducted to the arts to be welded, and such die-holder an Work-table may, if desired, be made with internal passage or chamber connected with a .water-supply, so as to conduct away the heat which is absorbed by such parts. The bed is supported upon a metallic frame and a transformer sup orted upon such bed or frame and supplier? with generator connections. Aconductor for the current is extended from the transformer directly tothe die-holder, but a switch is interposed in the generator connection of the transformer, which switch is held normally open and actuated by a treadle so that the circuitmay be closed through the worktable, the rivet and the die-holder at the pleasure of the operator.

The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawing, in which Figure l. is aside elevation of a riveter embodying the invention, with the leg F at the nearer side of `the work-table removed, and the edge of the frame broken away before the switch yg. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of 'the same with the leg at the nearer side of the work-table removed and the frame in section at line 2--2 in Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a plan of the bed and lwork-table; Fig. 4 is a central transverse section of the work-table with the detachable seat fitted thereto; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the ram; Fig. 6 shows the bottom end of the ram; Fig. 7 is a front view of the dieholder head; Fig. 8 is a plan of the same, and Fig. l9 is a vertical section ofthe die, the die-holder and the lhead which connects the same rto the ram. Fig. x10 is a horizontal section, where hatched, on line lO-lO in Fig. 2, and Fig. 11 is a vertical section, Where hatched, on line lll-11 in Fig. 10.

A designates the bedplate of the machine supported upon a suitable stand, and B the work-table secured upon the same and sustained, upon a seat B by an insulating packing B2. The bolts -Ba which secure the table to the bed are extended through insulating sleeves b3, shownfonly in Fig. 3.

The guide for the ram or plunger -C is formed with a body D, an adjustable cap D and an ear 'E upon its'rear side,.to which a leg "F is jointed. It is also provided with bosses G at opposite sides to which tubes or legs F are fitted and extended to sockets G upon the bed-plate. Bolt-rods having heads beneath 'the bed are extended through the pipes F and secured in the bosses G. The leg F is lformed of a pipe connected by right and left hand threads atits opposite ends to joint-pieces F2, one of which is hinged to lugs E upon the bed-plate. The legs F and F slope outwardly from the guide body l), to leave ample space above the table B, and ythe desired setting of the guide is facilitated inthe manufacture of the machine bv making theleg F adjustable as to length.

The bed A is formed with flanges A bcneath its margin having notches A2 to rest upon pipes H forming the top of a rectangular stand, and caps a clamp the bed to the pipes by means of bolts a. The stand has pipe-legs l connected b v ties J and K.

The ram C is provided upon the lower end with a shank C to which a head c is secured to carry the die-holder d and die or set e which is used to press the rivet in the riveting operation. The die and dieholder form the upper electrode. The head c is secured upon the shank C by a bolt f having notch at the middle of its length to clear the shank but is drawn against the same When desired by a nut f. The head is formed with a horizontal Water-chamber g having an inlet connection g at one side and an outlet connection g2 at the opposite side. A threaded socket l1, is formed in the bottom of the head to receive a threaded shank upon the die-holder d, Which is formed with a conical nozzle to which a tapering socket upon the die or set or movable electrode is fitted removably, but formed With such angle that the friction keeps the parts in engagement When in use. The Set or die is formed with an extension e at the bottom which may be ground off from time to time as it becomes roughened by use. Special means is provided to circulate water through the chamber .g to cool the parts which become heated by the electriccurrent, and the center of the holder d is formed with a bore d communicating with the Water-chamber g so as to cool the die-holder and the set. The die or set becomes much more highly heated than the table, as the area of contact is so much smaller in the set than Where the Workpiece rests upon the table; but if required, the table B may also be formed for the circulation of Water, as shown in Fig. 4. The table is made With an annular Water-chamber u, and water-pipes o and 'v' are connected with the opposite sides of such chamber. In practice, the same Water is circulated through the table and through the head c, the Water being introduced, as indicated by the arrow w in Fig. 4, at one side of the table and thence carried from the pipe c" to the pipe g upon one side of the head, being discharged therefrom through the. plpe g2.

The ram C 1s of diamond-shape, and the body D of the guide, as shown in Fig. 10 is formed to fit the rear side of the ram, while the cap D fits the front side. The rear corner of the ram is flattened as shown in Fig. 6, and teeth k cut therein, as shown in Fig. 5, to fit a pinion z' upon a spindle j which is extended throuo'h a bearing D2 upon the guide and provide at one end with a hand-lever M for rotating the pinion. The spindle is reduced to form a clearance-space lc at one end of the pinion, and the end of the spindle adjacent to such pinion is provided With grooves Z and Z', to which. a springplug m is fitted. lVhen the plug is fitted to the inner groove l it-holds the pinion in engagement with the teeth h upon the.ram, as shown in Fig. 10, but the pinion may be cleared from the teeth of the ram by lifting the spring-plug with a hand-knob n and moving the spindle lengthwise, as shown in 'Figa ll, until the plug engages the groovcl. This sets the clearance-space 1 1n line with the rear edge of the ram and clears the rack of teeth from the pinion. This construction is designed to facilitate the adjustment of the ram at different heights above the table to operate upon work-pieces of differ- \ent heights, when the hand-lever M is at the right hand side of the operator, in the position shown in Fig. 1.

In F ig. 1, a work-piece is shown upon the table consisting of a jig-block N in Which a series of tie-rods are supported in proper relation to apply a ring 0 to the upper ends of the rods o and rivet the ends of such rods upon the outer side of the ring. It is obviously an advantage to move the set as short a distance as possible during the riveting operation, and the construction of the spindle and pinion permits the ram to be moved freely up and down until the set and the hand-lever are in the proper adjustment, when the pinion can be rengaged with the ram.

The machine is adapted for use with electric light circuits having a. voltage of 22() volts or over, by locating a transformer V upon the bed or frame of the machine, which greatly reduces the voltage and increases the current to pass through the rivet. Such a transformer is shbwn secured to the rear legs I of the stand, and receiving its current from the generator by line-wires YV'. A plurality of conductors l' l is extended from the transformer to the opposite sides of a lug r formed upon the rear of the head c, and each attached to a conical hub fr fitted mov-- ably in conical sockets in opposite sides of the lug. These hubs are pressed into the socket b v an adjusting through-bolt r2 which furnishes a means of adjusting the pressure of the conical hubs in their sockets and thus securing a close electrical connection without unnecessaryv friction. To carry the current to the Work-piece, a renewable seat s is fitted to a counter-bore in the table D, and provided with a shank s extended downward through a clearance-hole in the bed A, and a current connection vl is eX- tended from the transformer to such shank. As the table B and the shank s are insulated froln the bed they form conjointly thc lower electrode, and the current is thus confined to the' head c and to the table l5, and the conduction of the electric current to other parts of thc machine is thus avoided.

A switch q is provided in the generator connections to the transformer as usual, and operated b v means of a trcarllc T and rod t to close the generator-circuit during the riveting operation. The riveting is performed by pressing the set by the lever M against the metal to be riveted, then closing the cirder side of the bed, the iia'ng'e of which is broken away 1n Fig. 1 to exhibit the switch.

Such location of the switch protects it vfrom derangement and shortens the connections to the transformer and the table B.

A fiat plate or leaf U to support the work-pieces for rivetin is shown in Fig. 2 supported upon pipes extended sidewise from the fittings L at the ends of the pipes H, and such pipes H may be connected with an` adjacent pipe-stand of similar character for another riveting machine, a series of such machines being thus connected together and their stands or frames serving to support plates or leaves between the respective machines to carry the articles for riveting.

It will be observed in Fig. 4 that the inlet-pipe c introduces water to the chamber u in the work-table at a lower level than the outlet 'v' discharges it, and the same is true, as will be observed in Fig. 7, of the inlet g and the outlet g2 connecting with the horizontal chamber g in the head c, which carries the set. These differences of level, it is found in practice, greatly facilitate the circulation of water through the table and the head to cool the same, which is very desirable Vwhere a supply of water is taken from a tank, and used over and over without renewing. Where the supply is taken from an aqueduct and runs to waste after operating in the machine, such construction would not be so material; but the Waste of water is avoided by providing a small tank in any convenient location.

The conical joints which connect the conductors w with the head c not only form a more perfect contact than flat joints, but permit the joints to rock or oscillate a little upon the head when the ram C is moved up and down, as occurs constantly in practice. The bolt r2 can be tightened sufficiently to produce a perfect contact and leave the cones r' free to also turn in their sockets. Such details of construction are of great value in preventing the short-circuiting of the current, .the burning out of the transformer, the reduction of the current transmitted to the set, the convenience of operating. and the reliability of the machine.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention what is claimed herein is:

1. In an electric'riveter, the combination,

with a lower electrode, of a ram movable tov and from the same and having a head carrying the upper electrode, and current conductors extended to opposite sides of the! head with movable conical hub-and-socket joints connecting the terminals of said conductors with the opposite sides of said head, and means extendingthrough the hubs and sockets for adjusting the pressure of the hubs in the sockets to form a perfect movable electrical contact when the head is raised and lowered by the ram.

2. In an electric riveter, the combination, with a support for the work-piece, of a diamond-shaped ram carrying a riveting die and having a rack formed upon one of its corners, a fixed guide for such ram with cylindrical bearing transverse to the rack and a spindle rotatable in such bearing, and a pinion to mesh with, the rack having a clearance-space at one end of the pinion, `and means for holding the pinion in mesh with the rack, when desired.

3. In 'an electric riveter, the combination, with a bed, of a table secured thereon with suitable insulation and fastenings, a counterbore in the table, and a removable fiat seat filling such counterbore and provided with an electrical connection to forma flat support for a work-piece, a guide secured above the bed with ram'therein movable to and from the table, and a head upon the ram with an upper electrode secured thereto.

4. In an electric riveter, the combination, with a bed, of a table secured thereon with suitable insulation and fastenings, and having a passage extended therethrough and through the bed, and an enlarged counterbore in the table at the top of such passage, a removable seat filling such counterbore and having a shank extended through the said passage to receive an electrical -connection, a guide secured above the bed with ram therein movable to and from the table, and a die-holder and die carried by the head.

5. In an electric riveter, the combination, with a bed having a work-table insulated thereon, of a guide with ram movable therein to and from the bed, a die-holder carried by the ram and supplied with an electrical connection, sloping tubes fitted between the guide and the bed at the sides of the ram and bolt-rods connecting the guide with the bed through such tubes, and an adjustable leg connecting the rear of the guide with the rear of the bed, substantially as herein set forth.

G. In an electric riveter, the combination, with a bed, of a table insulated thereon and formed with a water-channel, a ram movable to and from the table and having a head with water-passage therein and a die-holder secured upon the head, a pipe connecting the water-channel in the table with the water-passage in the head, and means for vcirculating the water successively through said parts.

7. In an electric riveter, the combination, with a bed, of a table insulated thereon and formed with a water-channel having inlet and outlet-connections at clii'erent levels, a a die-holder secured upon the head and having a head with Water-passage therein and a die-holder secured upon the head and having a Water-channel connected with the Water-passage, 4Water-connections from such Water-passage at different levels, a {iexible pipe joining the upper connection of the table to the lower connection of the head, and means for circulating Water successively 15 through the said parts.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the 'presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CONRAD KNOTH.

.Witnesses IH. W. ANGEVINE, J. G. W E'Iss.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

